The day of reckoning has come as several congressmen who were in favor of ABS-CBN’s shutdown got removed from their position on Tuesday, March 9.
The first to receive his karma was Anakalusugan party-list Rep. Mike Defensor who got ousted from his position as vice-chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Legislative Franchises.
He was replaced by another pro-ABS-CBN shutdown, Zamboanga Sibugay 1st District Rep. Wilter ‘Sharky’ Wee Palma II. However, Palma lost his position as the Deputy Majority Leader.
Some of the lawmakers in favor of the Kapamilya network shutdown were included in the reshuffle under the leadership of Lord Allan Velasco.
Anti-ABS-CBN, Quezon City 1st District Rep. Anthony Peter ‘Onyx’ Crisologo was appointed as vice-chairman of the House Games and Amusements Committee. Nevertheless, he was the former Assistant Majority Leader who got replaced by yet another pro-ABS-CBN shutdown, Palawan 3rd District Rep. Gil Acosta.
Earlier this year, an ally of former Speaker of the House Alan Peter Cayetano, Luis Villafuerte Jr., and also among the 70 congressmen who rejected ABS-CBN’s franchise renewal, got stripped of his position as the vice-chairman of the public accounts committee.
Meanwhile, Defensor, early this January, was booted out of his vice chairmanship in five committees—health, public information, dangerous drugs, good government, and strategic intelligence.
“Titles, names, and positions do not define us. He may be Lord but he lacks the wisdom and good judgment to determine the right path of the House.
“Instead of uniting the House, he further divides it,” lament Defensor.
It can be recalled that Defensor, along with other lawmakers who got either replaced or reshuffled in committee positions were among the 70 congressmen who denied the Kapamilya network its franchise after they adopted the technical working group’s (TWG) report with a recommendation that they deny the franchise of the broadcasting giant.
